Martial Eagle

The Martial Eagle is the largest eagle in Africa and one of the most powerful raptors in the world, capable of overpowering prey considerably larger than itself. It has a robust, heavily built body, with dark brown upperparts and a dark brown hood covering the head and upper breast that contrasts with white underparts boldly spotted dark brown.

Its eyes are bright yellow and piercing, and a short, often inconspicuous crest can be raised on the back of the head. The legs are fully feathered and immensely powerful, ending in large talons capable of delivering a lethal grip.

Key field marks

• Dark brown hood over head, throat, and upper breast
• White underparts heavily spotted with dark brown
• Bright yellow eyes
• Short crest, sometimes raised
• Large, bulky body with a relatively small-looking head

Similar species

The Black-chested Snake Eagle is smaller with plain white (unspotted) underparts and a rounder head. Immature Martial Eagles are paler overall with less spotting than adults, but their large size and bulk still distinguish them from most other African raptors.

Range

The Martial Eagle is found across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal east to Somalia and south through East and southern Africa, though it is patchily distributed and declining in many areas.

Habitat

It favors open and semi-open savanna, woodland, and semi-arid country, avoiding dense forest. Pairs require very large home ranges, often tens to hundreds of square kilometers, to find sufficient prey.

Migration

The species is largely sedentary, though individuals, especially immatures, may wander widely in search of territory and food. Populations are declining across much of its range due to habitat loss and persecution.

Hunting and feeding

Martial Eagles hunt by soaring at great height or watching from a high perch, then stooping at high speed onto prey on the ground. They take a wide range of prey including monitor lizards, snakes, game birds such as guineafowl and francolins, hares, and occasionally small antelope such as duikers.

Voice

They are usually silent away from the nest, giving high, yelping calls mainly during display flights and at the nest site.

Nesting and breeding

Pairs build a massive stick nest high in a tall tree, which may be used for many years. Typically a single egg is laid, and because chicks remain dependent for many months, successful pairs usually breed only once every two years.